Michigan

Police still seeking clues to identify man

LARRY E. WRIGHT/THE ANN ARBOR NEWSMichigan State Trooper Duane Zook searches through a wooded area where a body, believed to be that of a homeless man, was found Friday morning.

"It is a tragedy that we have people who choose or feel forced by circumstances to live on the street."- City Council Member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward

By DAVE GERSHMANThe Ann Arbor News

Authorities are still trying to determine the identity of a man whose body was found Friday morning at a makeshift shelter near the "park and ride" lot on the Ann Arbor-Saline Road overpass above I-94.

State Police Sgt. Tony Cuevas said investigators believe the body is most likely a homeless man who had frozen to death. Police haven't been able to identify the man, whose body was decaying, Cuevas said.

The man was found on his back, leading police to believe he fell asleep and froze to death, Cuevas said. Foul play isn't suspected.

Police said the man was described as white, about 35 to 45 years old, with short brown hair that was graying. He had a goatee, was about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and was missing his upper front teeth. He was wearing blue jeans, a white thermal top and black Dickies work boots.

A road cleaning crew from the Washtenaw County Jail discovered the man's body while picking up trash at the lot at about 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Police found the makeshift shelter about 100 feet north of the park and ride lot.
A series of tarps was set up as a rough shelter several feet from the where the man was found. The site had lawn chairs, several shoes and various other items scattered around.

A few other campsites could be seen in the woods that border the expressway.

Police said several homeless people were known to stay in the area. They said they don't have the authority to force homeless people off the street, no matter how cold it gets.

"My initial reaction is opening all the shelters you can open doesn't mean people will use them," said City Council Member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward. "You can try to make shelter available. Even in big cities, people refuse shelter. I have no idea why this person wasn't accessing the shelter ... It is a tragedy that we have people who choose or feel forced by circumstances to live on the street.

"That is something as a society we really need to face. Solutions are hard to come by. I know we try to tackle this as a society and I know that we fail. I'm very sorry."

Officials said the man may have died about two weeks ago. No identification was found on him or in his belongings, police said.

The man's cause of death has not been determined. The last exposure death in the area occurred in February 2006, when a 49-year-old man was found frozen to death in his sleeping bag at a different encampment site along I-94.

Anyone with information on the man found Friday, or any missing person who fits the description, is asked to call police at 734-482-1211.

News staff reporters David Jesse and Tom Gantert contributed to this story. Reporter Dave Gershman can be reached at 734-994-6818 or dgershman@annarbornews.com.